You may already have read my recent review of The Japanese Larder by chef, food writer and supperclub host Luiz Hara.

The publishers have kindly given permission to share three great recipes from the book with you. The first, for crispy and deeply savoury Marmite Chicken, is already up. Here’s Luiz’ Japanese-style mabo dofu. And the third, Yuzu Cream, Rhubarb and Pistachio Crumble is coming soon.

5 from 12 votes

Japanese-Style Mabo Dofu (Tofu with Spicy Miso Pork Sauce)

Japanese-style Mapo Dofu is gentler, sweeter and less spicy than the Sichuanese original. It is highly flavoursome due to the addition of miso and tobanjan, and with the pork mince, it is akin to a rich ragout but with none of the hassle. Tobanjan is fermented chilli bean paste made from broad and soybeans hailing from Sichuan Province in China, but it is used extensively in Japan. As with any stir-fry, make sure all the ingredients are prepared before you start cooking. Pre-cooking the tofu before stir-frying is a technique that helps firm up the tofu and prevent it from breaking up as it is fried. Japanese-style mapo dofu is a 20-minute recipe, ideal for a mid-week meal, and is great comfort food too. The perfect accompaniment for Mapo Dofu is steamed short-grain white rice but you could serve it with baked potatoes, fried aubergine (eggplants) or even bread.

To garnish

Instructions

Start by making the sauce. Place all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix well and set aside.

Cut the tofu into 2cm (¾-inch) cubes, place in a pan of boiling water over a medium heat, and when the cubes come up to the surface, remove them from the pan and drain over a colander for a few minutes. This will prevent the tofu from breaking up as it stir-fries.

When you are ready to cook, heat the sunflower oil in a wok until smoking hot, add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant but not burnt. Add the pork and cook, stirring constantly, until it is no longer pink.

Add the bamboo shoots, if using, and stir-fry for another minute, then add the sauce and cook on a gentle heat for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Finally add the tofu, gently mixing, and let it warm through for a couple of minutes.